Involuntary Connections
by FlamingDrake
Summary: Inuyasha tries placing a rosary on his half-brother, but it ends up entwined around both Sesshoumaru and Kagome's wrists. This is hardly helpful to the taiyoukai and the miko, but Inuyasha's chosen command word doesn't make things any easier...SessKag
1. The Hanyou's Mistake

_Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine. sigh  
  
This is sort of another version of Wolfshade22x's Sesshoumaru's Bane. Well, not really. It's different...sort of....and I'm just blabbing right now, so I think I'll start with the story. FlamingDrake_

Involuntary Connections  
  
Chapter One The Hanyou's Mistake  
  
The serpent struck with lightning speed, its fangs piercing the taiyoukai's chest deeply. Wincing as the virulent poison began to flood his system, Sesshoumaru countered with a slash of his razor-sharp claws, aimed at the snake's vulnerable eyes. The reptile twisted lithely away, and the youkai lord's swipe rebounded off the impenetrable emerald scales of his adversary. He cursed softly, and acid dripped from his hands, sizzling when it made contact with the ground.  
  
Sesshoumaru's next lash sent the serpent recoiling. Drops of burning acid splashed onto the snake's form, and wherever they landed, the scales disintegrated. Hissing in pain, the snake uncoiled with unimaginable speed, springing at the youkai with fangs bared.  
  
The taiyoukai leapt lightly into the air, landing behind the startled serpent. His claws sought the uncovered flesh where the scales had melted, and the reptile let out one last dying shudder before succumbing to the darkness, its ruby-red eyes dimming. Sesshoumaru bent and lifted the rosy shard of the Shikon jewel, studying it carefully. 'This is what that hanyou bastard's been searching for. Perhaps I can coerce him to give me the Tetsusaiga with this.'  
  
Standing, Sesshoumaru swayed, trying to fight the momentary dizziness assaulting him, an aftereffect of the snake's bite.

* * *

Kagome pedaled thoughtfully, trying to ignore the erratic yelps of Shippou as the kitsune bounced up and down in her bicycle basket. She wasn't the only one being annoyed by the fox; judging by the way Inuyasha's ears were flattening, he wasn't in a particularly good mood either.  
  
"Inuyasha?" came a query from above, as Sango rode overhead on Kirara. "Do you have any specific thoughts on where we're going?"  
  
The hanyou grunted. "There's a powerful youkai up ahead," he replied. "Can you sense any jewel shards, Kagome?"  
  
Concentrating, she frowed. "Only one," she answered. "It shouldn't be too much of a challenge for you, right, Inuyasha?"  
  
He favored her with a slight smile – they'd gotten considerably closer after Inuyasha had seen Kikyo with Naraku – and turned away again with a warning glare at the hyperactive Shippou. The kitsune merely stuck out his tongue at the hanyou's retreating back, causing Kagome to giggle slightly. Aware that he was being taunted by either the fox or his surrogate mother, Inuyasha let out a soft 'feh', which resulted in more laughter from Kagome.  
  
That was when he first caught the distinctive scent. He froze, his hand immediately moving to the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, closing protectively over the weathered leather binding. Sango landed instantaneously, her expression anxious, and Miroku merely scanned the hanyou's face, searching for an indication of what was troubling Inuyasha.  
  
"What is it, Inuyasha?" the monk questioned, glancing over at Kagome, who merely shrugged. The girl had already strung an arrow, the bowstring tense. She could sense Inuyasha's discomfort, but couldn't place the source of it. Surely, if the opponent bore only one jewel shard, her hanyou could defeat it.  
  
And then Inuyasha said one name which dispelled the confusion in his companion's thoughts.  
  
"Sesshoumaru."

* * *

The taiyoukai waited calmly in the clearing, well aware that his half- brother was approaching, along with his ningen companions. He'd been able to secure a victory over the snake's poison, though he was unsure as to how long the momentary clear-headedness would last; he didn't wish to collapse in a battle with the hanyou, and yet he couldn't run, if he was to preserve his reputation.  
  
He winced slightly as another stabbing pain from his chest assaulted him, but remained steady on his feet. A gentle breeze blew back the silver tresses framing his emotionless, yet handsome, face. Sesshoumaru readied his claws, his exquisite golden eyes darkening slightly.  
  
He didn't have to wait long. The hanyou stepped warily out of the oaks, the miko trailing closely. Upon closer inspection, the monk and the taijiya were there as well, concealed in the foliage. The taijiya was accompanied by a giant firecat youkai, upon which rode a small kitsune cub.  
  
"The company you travel with is pathetic," the youkai lord stated calmly, more to goad his hotheaded brother than to insult his friends. He'd seen the miko in action before, and respected her purifying arrows, along with the monk's wind tunnel and the taijiya's boomerang.  
  
"He's holding it," Kagome informed Inuyasha quietly. Hearing her words, Sesshoumaru studied her curiously before glancing down at his hand and at the Shikon shard glittering there.  
  
He smiled ever so slightly – more of a grimace than a smile, as the pain in his chest attacked him once more – and held up the fragment so it caught the sunlight. "Did you want this?" he inquired sarcastically, knowing full well that the small party had been collecting the shards for some time.  
  
"Hand it over, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha snarled, whipping the Tetsusaiga out before him. Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted at the sight of the legendary blade.  
  
"Would you consider a trade? Call it a compromise, I suppose, until I kill you and take possession of your other Shikon shards. Give me the Tetsusaiga, and I reward you with this piece of the jewel."  
  
The hanyou snorted. "You, kill me? Don't make me laugh!" He lunged at the youkai lord, who easily avoided the sword with his heightened agility. Frustrated, Inuyasha swiped repeatedly, always intersecting only air.  
  
"Dear little brother, you're as slow as you were fifty years ago. I never realized that hanyou bastards advanced this slowly."  
  
"Stop with the whole tirade about 'bastard', Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha spat bitterly. "You're just jealous that your _youkai_ mother was dumped for my _ningen_ one."  
  
Silence penetrated the area. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, letting the anger flow through him. He looked up again, his face already lengthening into that of a snowy white canine's, and smirked. His eyes were garnet, dark as the ruby. Fangs gleamed from his snout, and he reared, towering over the tiny figures on the ground.  
  
"Damn," Inuyasha whispered, clenching the Tetsusaiga so tightly that the hilt left an imprint on his skin. The gargantuan dog reached down and playfully swept the entire band of companions away, then sat back on his haunches, licking his paw thoughtfully.  
  
"Well, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru roared – it sounded like roaring, at any rate, though his canine ears probably heard it as normal speech – "your ningen heritage hasn't seemed to help you much, has it? Weak, filthy things, humans are. Not even a hanyou should demean itself by associating with those of the lower order. You should have killed your mother while you had the chance."  
  
As a response, the hanyou leapt, slashing wildly with the blade. Sesshoumaru's giant paws batted away the attempts easily, his triumphant expression easily seen even in his true form.  
  
The triumph quickly dissipated, however, when the taiyoukai felt his entire body numb suddenly. The adrenaline from meeting his half-brother had granted him some time, but the poison was dominating over his willpower now. Cursing, Sesshoumaru toppled onto his side, reverting back to his usual humanoid form.

* * *

"Well, this is interesting."  
  
Gazing down at the prone form, Inuyasha poked his half-brother experimentally. When Sesshoumaru didn't move, the hanyou's fangs showed in a gleeful smile as he raised the Tetsusaiga.  
  
"Osuwari!"  
  
Inuyasha crashed facefirst to the ground, narrowly missing Sesshoumaru's head.  
  
"Bitch..."  
  
She'd expected the obscenity and paid him no mind, moving to the youkai lord's side. Gazing at his dulled golden eyes, Kagome suddenly made a decision.  
  
"We're going to help him." Her eyes wandered over the taiyoukai's strangely peaceful face, past the blood darkening his clothes.  
  
"We're going to what?" By now, the hanyou had managed to yank his face from the ground.  
  
"Help him," she reiterated. "After all, you wouldn't leave your half- brother to die here, would you?"  
  
Inuyasha considered that. "Actually –"  
  
Before he could finish the thought, Kagome had already recruited Sango's aid, and the two girls were dragging the unconscious taiyoukai onto Kirara's back. "That's nice, Inuyasha. Now hurry up. I need to take him to Kaede."  
  
"You're crazy!"  
  
"I don't think you're one to judge me for mental illness, Inuyasha." The sarcasm was lost on him, but it made Kagome feel slightly better, anyways. She petted the giant neko youkai before making sure Sesshoumaru was safely secured. "Sango, make sure he doesn't fall off."  
  
Miroku blinked. "Please tell me why we're rescuing him?"  
  
"I think we'd all like to know that," Inuyasha snarled.  
  
"That's too bad." Kagome hopped on her bike and pedaled away, following Sango. Actually, she didn't exactly know why she wanted to rescue the youkai lord. Perhaps it was because when Sesshoumaru was asleep, he looked so...angelic, almost, as if he had emotions, feelings, like other people.  
  
And she wondered sometimes, watching him implacable face...  
  
'What do you see that the rest of us don't?'

* * *

The ancient priestess finished grinding the herbs and handed the rather gooey paste to Kagome. "Spread this on his wound smoothly. Inuyasha, can ye come with me?"  
  
Snorting, the hanyou followed her.  
  
"Here ye are." Kaede waved around a string of beads triumphantly.  
  
It only took Inuyasha a second to realize what they were. "Hell no! I already have a fucking rosary; I don't need another one!"  
  
With patience that was quite astounding, the ancient priestess explained, "It's for your brother, Inuyasha."  
  
"Brother?" The hanyou considered that. "Sesshoumaru's my half-brother..." A minute later, however, his face lit up. He snatched the rosary from Kaede's hands. "Thanks, Kaede-baba!"  
  
"Wait, Inuyasha! Ye did not hear what I have to say." She paused, snatching the rosary back from him. "Firstly, this is the most powerful rosary I own. It needs no spell of enchantment, and can never be removed."  
  
"Perfect." Inuyasha grabbed the string again and raced towards the enclosure.

* * *

Kagome carefully pulled aside the restraining material and ran her hands lightly over Sesshoumaru's well-toned chest. Hmmm....nice....  
  
Realizing just what she was thinking, she blushed a dozen shades of red and quickly picked up the pot of paste, fumbling with it and dropping half of it on the ground. She coated her hands with the stuff, noting that it felt quite cool to the touch, and brushed it gently over the wound.  
  
"A few more minutes of this, and I really am going to go insane," she muttered, trying not to look at the taiyoukai. Quickly, she spread the rest of the gunk on Sesshoumaru's chest.  
  
She raised one hand to his neck, searching for a pulse, but could find none. That was strange. Moving her hand down to his wrist, she tried again, holding his hand tightly.  
  
It was very, very faint.  
  
That wasn't really a good thing.  
  
The door practically collapsed as Inuyasha skidded through, triumphantly brandishing a rosary. "Kagome, look what Kaede gave me –"  
  
He slipped on the medicine Kagome had spilled on the floor...  
  
Righting himself almost instantly, he watched in horror as the string of beads whipped up into the air...  
  
And wrapped itself securely around Sesshoumaru and Kagome's wrists.  
  
"What..." Kagome tugged on the rosary, but was rewarded only with a crackle of electricity as the rosary's spell refused to let her pry it off. "Ow!"  
  
Hearing the commotion, Miroku and Sango rushed in. "What's going on?"  
  
They took in the situation at a glance – the half-dressed Sesshoumaru, with Kagome's hand firmly clasping the taiyoukai, and Inuyasha staring on in horror.  
  
Of course, they interpreted it in different ways.  
  
"Kami-sama, Kagome, I didn't know you were quite that fickle! One minute without Inuyasha, and you're undressing his half-brother?"  
  
"You perverted fool!" Sango's slap resounded in the space. "And you, Inuyasha! How could you have put a rosary on Kagome?"  
  
It was only then that Inuyasha realized the depth of the situation. "Fu-"  
  
Miroku clamped his hand securely over the hanyou's mouth with a slightly lecherous grin. "You don't want to continue that thought, Inuyasha. Remember, the first command you issue is the command that activates the rosary. I'm sure you don't want to see them...copulating like dogs." He smirked. "I wouldn't mind, but..."  
  
Inuyasha, instead of replying verbally, merely smashed Miroku into the floor.  
  
"Let's talk about this outside," Sango muttered. "It's safer. You won't have a chance to issue any stupid commands." The three of them trailed outside, leaving Kagome alone with Sesshoumaru.

* * *

Well...this was awkward.  
  
What time was it, anyways?  
  
Working at the beads futilely, she yanked on the stubborn string. Sawing away at it with a knife didn't work; scissors failed; biting left her with a toothache and not much else.  
  
This was hopeless.  
  
On second thought, she reflected, things weren't the worst they could be. It was definitely a good thing that Miroku had had enough presence of mind to stop Inuyasha from finishing the obscenity. Then again, she could just imagine what fun new command the hanyou would issue.  
  
What did she do to deserve this?

* * *

Inuyasha gazed incredulously at the 'food' Sango was doling out. Half the ramen was overcooked and the other half retained the shape of the packaging that usually surrounded it. He licked it experimentally.  
  
Honestly. And he'd thought nothing could ruin ramen.  
  
"How is it?" Sango asked cheerfully.  
  
Shippou muttered an excuse about not being hungry – as if, the kitsune was always 'starving' – and Miroku mumbled something about how he'd never tasted that unique flavor before. Which, the hanyou muttered to himself, was hard to believe – everyone tasted burnt food at some point in their lives.  
  
"We need to discuss this situation, Inuyasha," Miroku remarked. "It seems that the rosary on Kagome and Sesshoumaru's hands is permanent. So, in that case, we need to come up with a specific order."  
  
Inuyasha grinned evilly. "Sit?"  
  
"Use your imagination!" Sango chided. "Besides, what if you wanted to punish your brother but not Kagome? They'd both be dragged down."  
  
"It'd be payback," he muttered, but decided against that option. "Well...what if I told them to obey any specific order I issued them?"  
  
The others contemplated that. "Perfect."

* * *

What time was it? Her arm was getting cramped from being stretched out; she was curled in a corner of the chair as far away from Sesshoumaru as was possible. It probably wasn't a good idea to go to sleep in the presence of a youkai lord, even if the taiyoukai in question was unconscious.  
  
Her eyelids drooped.  
  
With an angry growl, she jerked herself upright again.  
  
It was no use. Her arm felt like it was going to fall off.  
  
Then, just to make matters worse – actually, Kagome viewed it as an act of a sadist – Sesshoumaru rolled away from her, pulling her half off the chair.  
  
"Great," she muttered. She managed to crawl off the chair, towards the bed.  
  
He shifted farther away from her.  
  
"Owowowowowow!" Kagome decided that there was no help for it. She carefully sat down on the very edge of the bed. The very edge. One centimeter further and she'd be on the floor.  
  
So...he moved even farther.  
  
"Bad dog!" she scolded; not that he could hear her, and if he had, not that she would be living long enough to feel the discomfort, but it made her feel better. She put her full weight on the cot and laid down, deciding that since all he did was move away, she wasn't in any real danger.  
  
He rolled towards her and threw his free arm across her body.  
  
Ohhhhh. This was not good.  
  
Apparently, she must have felt like a giant teddy bear (hard to imagine the great Lord Sesshoumaru sleeping with a stuffed animal) because he wrapped both his arms around her and relaxed completely.  
  
She lay in mortification for a good ten minutes before she wondered if she could slip out from his grasp. The rosary clinked rather loudly when she moved; managing to hold one hand still while moving the rest of her body was hard. She didn't manage it.  
  
Well, given enough time, she might have.  
  
But...at that opportune moment, Inuyasha raced through the door, closely trailed by Miroku and Sango.  
  
They all froze on the threshold, staring in disbelief at the scene before them. Kagome was wrapped securely in Sesshoumaru's arms, and she looked strangely...flushed...  
  
Inuyasha's golden eyes blazed with anger. Without remembering his decision, he screamed the first thing that came to his mind...

* * *

_And that's where this chapter stops. Yay! Actually, I sort of need ideas...  
  
If you have time, please r&r my other story, Demon Reincarnate. Thanks. -FlamingDrake_


	2. The Command

_Disclaimer: Inuyasha not mine. Me talk in English good. I is special.  
  
To Yukino: If you read my author bio, Wolfshade22x is my cousin Catharine, who quit and granted me permission to use her fics. Sorry about the confusion...  
  
Oh, yes, I almost forgot. In this story, Sesshoumaru has both arms, because...because otherwise the story wouldn't work. So there. -.-_  
  
Involuntary Connections  
  
**Last Chapter:  
  
They all froze on the threshold, staring in disbelief at the scene before them. Kagome was wrapped securely in Sesshoumaru's arms, and she looked strangely...flushed...  
  
Inuyasha's golden eyes blazed with anger. Without remembering his decision, he screamed the first thing that came to his mind...**  
  
Chapter Two – The Command  
  
"What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"It's not what it looks like!" Kagome wriggled out from between Sesshoumaru's arms with absolute disregard as to how many times she accidentally kicked the youkai lord.  
  
"Were you..." The hanyou's hands gestured wildly in a series of mildly obscene hand signals that would have perplexed Shippou and disgusted everyone else.  
  
"NO! For Kami-sama's sake, Inuyasha, your brother isn't even awake!"  
  
Naturally, Sesshoumaru blinked open his eyes at this point, startled by all the yelling. It was, of course, the most opportune time to wake up.   
  
"Yes he is!" The hanyou pointed, looking extremely annoyed.  
  
"What?" Having just woken up, the taiyoukai was understandably a little disorientated. Obviously, he was having trouble with his eyes. It looked like there was a rosary around his wrist that was binding him to the miko that Inuyasha traveled with. But that, of course, was purely absurd. Wasn't it?  
  
He blinked. Somehow, the apparitions weren't disappearing. That was strange. He lifted his hands to rub his eyes and heard the girl yelp next to him. The rosary cut slightly into his wrist.   
  
Inuyasha was yelling now, but Sesshoumaru wasn't listening very clearly. The hanyou was saying something along the lines of, "I want to know what's going on!" That was interesting; he wanted to know that too.  
  
"Are you two...in love with each other?"  
  
Well, that certainly woke up Sesshoumaru. The youkai sat completely up just to witness the brilliant flashes of light emanating from the rosary.  
  
Amethyst streaks lit up the room for a fleeting minute before fading into a dull glow which ebbed into nothingness. Sesshoumaru winced – the light stung his eyes – and then froze. His gaze turned to the girl beside him.  
  
Extremely surprised, Inuyasha tried to figure out what had triggered the rosary. His last sentences had been 'Are', which obviously did nothing, 'You', which also wouldn't have had any effect, 'Two', which wasn't a verb, 'In', which would have done nothing, and...and...  
  
"Love?"  
  
Shit.

* * *

Kaede wasn't pleased.  
  
For one thing, the rosary was not meant to be on two people. Bad, bad things could happen. And for another, it just had to be connecting the miko at the youkai lord, didn't it?  
  
But now Kagome and Sesshoumaru had been forced into some sort of crazed love, all due to that hanyou's idiocy.  
  
"What were ye thinking, Inuyasha?" The ancient priestess glared at him, although that was a bit hard to do, due to the fact that he was basically sticking out of the floor like some obscene ornament. For some reason, Kagome hadn't seemed too pleased with her new feelings.  
  
Not that the rest of the people in the room were any more comfortably situated. Certainly, Sesshoumaru was supposedly 'in love' with Kagome, but that hardly endeared him towards his half-brother. Sango and Miroku were holding on to Kagome's free arm, which in turn suppressed Sesshoumaru from leaping at the feet waving in the air.  
  
"You can't take it off?" Kagome was sounding mildly panicked, due to the fact that Sesshoumaru was very very close to killing everyone in the room (including her) just to get away from them all. Youkai love probably didn't count for much.  
  
Kaede shook her head. "I warned Inuyasha," she replied dryly. A muffled protest issued from the crater; everyone ignored it.  
  
Sesshoumaru stood, his usual half-bored, half-mocking expression back on his face. He yanked Kagome up beside him and walked towards the door without a word.  
  
"What are you doing?" Trying to stop the youkai lord – although it was like a butterfly battling a blizzard – Kagome dug her heels into the floor and thus ended up demolishing a bit more of Kaede's home. "Stop!"  
  
He plowed easily through the door, slashing it aside with claws that dripped with poison. "I'm not staying a moment longer with my bastard brother!" he yelled, finally dropping the calm façade.  
  
She was about to protest further, but he leapt into the air, pulling her along.  
  
'Kami-sama, he doesn't seem to have changed at all,' Kagome thought.  
  
It wasn't until later that she'd remember those words...and their meaning.

* * *

"Is there any way to break the damn rosary?" Inuyasha was pacing, having extracted himself from the floor.  
  
Kaede shrugged. "Yes, there is one way. She has to prove that she loves someone more than she loves Sesshoumaru."  
  
"And how can she do that? I was under the impression that the feelings the rosary gave were singular and unconditional." Miroku, rubbing his sore hand – the result of having tried approaching Sango – blinked at the priestess.  
  
"Not exactly." Kaede focused her eyes on Inuyasha. "If she feels strongly enough for a certain hanyou – who, I might add, would do good to encourage her in this aspect – the rosary will shatter, and both of them will be released from their foolish infatuations. If, on the other hand, she cannot confess her feelings for another person within the span of one year, the rosary is permanent."  
  
"Permanent?"  
  
"It means forever," Shippou explained, lying on the floor next to Kirara.  
  
"I know what it means!" he snapped at the kitsune.  
  
Shippou countered, "Then what was the point of repeating the word?" He was rather annoyed at having lost his surrogate mother due to Inuyasha's mistake, and was being none too pleasant about it.   
  
"Argh!" Stepping on Shippou's fluffy tail, Inuyasha stalked outside. "Well, what are we waiting for?" He turned towards the rest of his companions. "Let's go win Kagome back."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Kagome's arm was getting rather sore; Sesshoumaru didn't seem to care that the only reason she was half-flying was because her wrist was connected to his.  
  
He merely cast her a rather annoyed glare. "We're going," he explained, "to my...home."  
  
"Oh." That was hardly a sufficient explanation, but she'd deal with it.  
  
Were taiyoukai always like this? She glanced up at him warily, but her mind was replaying her memories. She remembered that Inuyasha had once mentioned how Sesshoumaru had loved his mother...loved her beyond words, and that in essence, his heart had turned to ice when she died.  
  
Glancing up at him, she wondered if the rosary's effect had melted the ice...or whether this was merely temporary, and...  
  
He turned to look down at her, and she found herself drowning in those golden eyes.  
  
Suddenly, it didn't matter that she was dangling a thousand feet above the ground; it didn't matter that the rosary was the only reason for her feelings; it didn't matter that Inuyasha's eyes were exactly the same shade...the only thing that mattered was that he was looking at her...  
  
Bliss.

* * *

It was rather interesting that after all these years, the source of relief for him was this mistake of his half-brother's. Sesshoumaru let his gaze wander down her slender wrist to thos dark eyes, sparkling with the general light of innocence.  
  
When had he first realized? Perhaps it was because of his naturally competitive nature. Even as children, before his mother's death, he'd often fought viciously for the possession of a new game, a new toy. They'd battled over their father's affections, too; but that was one fight strength couldn't win.  
  
He remembered his vow to hate all ningen after his mother was cast aside for the hanyou's.  
  
And then, of course, she had to come...  
  
That girl, Inuyasha's companion, who seemed to follow him everywhere, the reincarnation of Inuyasha's first love.  
  
Well, it was too late for the hanyou.  
  
Kagome was his.

* * *

_I know this chapter was really short and...well...probably didn't make a lot of sense. Sorry! R&R, please! -FlamingDrake_


	3. Favors

_Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, but my computer crashed, and I had to wait until my vacation in California to get on a computer. (A really crappy desktop, too...sigh...)_

_Anyways, here's the next chapter! –FlamingDrake_

Involuntary Connections

**It was rather interesting that after all these years, the source of relief for him was this mistake of his half-brother's. Sesshoumaru let his gaze wander down her slender wrist to thos dark eyes, sparkling with the general light of innocence.**

**When had he first realized? Perhaps it was because of his naturally competitive nature. Even as children, before his mother's death, he'd often fought viciously for the possession of a new game, a new toy. They'd battled over their father's affections, too; but that was one fight strength couldn't win.**

**He remembered his vow to hate all ningen after his mother was cast aside for the hanyou's.**

**And then, of course, she had to come...**

**That girl, Inuyasha's companion, who seemed to follow him everywhere, the reincarnation of Inuyasha's first love.**

**Well, it was too late for the hanyou.**

**Kagome was his.**

Chapter Three – Favors

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Damn it, you're supposed to care about me!"

"That feeling doesn't extend towards anyone else."

Kagome sat down in the middle of the room (therefore jerking Sesshoumaru down beside her) and pouted. "Just a month, then."

He considered that.

"A month. Thirty days. That's all!"

He frowned.

"You have a whole mansion to yourself! It's practically the size of New York City!"

"New York City?" he reiterated, looking politely confused. "That is...?"

"Eh...never mind. Just a month!" She renewed her attack vigorously.

"No."

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Something closely resembling a human tornado came whirling through the door. "Sesshoumaru...sama?"

It was an adorable little human girl with a wide smile and liquid-looking, innocent eyes. Oh, Kami-sama. Sesshoumaru was having enough trouble with the pouting girl he was connected to. He did not want to deal with Rin right now.

Unfortunately, it was a bit late for that.

"Oh, is it a playmate for Rin?" The girl was circling around Kagome like a hyena.

"Yes, Rin, I'll be your playmate. And guess what? Sesshoumaru-sama's also brought five other playmates, too! There's another girl, and two boys, and a hanyou, and a big kitten! Aren't you happy? And –" Kagome cast her companion a triumphant smirk – "we're going to stay here forever!"

Damn the conniving bitch.

Rin's eyes were steadily widening until they were approaching the size of Jaken's. Sesshoumaru shifted uneasily – no one (A/N: With the possible exception of Sauron from LotR) could ever defeat him in a staring contest, but the child's eyes were getting quite scary.

"Rin, Kagome and I need to have a little talk." The taiyoukai motioned absently towards the door. As soon as Rin had bounded out, his expression turned murderous. "Now then, whatever happened to 'just a month!'?"

She sighed. "You think I'm comfortable stuck in this ice castle with no one I know? I need my friends, Sesshoumaru."

"Friends?" The word was spat out like the worst of epithets. "I'll give you one month before they clear out. Satisfied?"

"Not in the least," she muttered, but relaxed anyways and leaned against him. "I can't believe this. When Souta finds out I've dumped Inuyasha for you he'll..."

Oh, crap. Souta. And...her mother. And her grandfather.

"Um...Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to need to go home sometimes."

"Home...?"

"Ok, let me explain it to you." She took a deep breath and paused. "I come from the future. There's a well that lets me go from here to the future and back. Basically, I go there once in a while to be with my family and friends and to catch up on schoolwork, etc."

He blinked at her.

It was sort of amusing. Sesshoumaru rarely blinked, after all.

"So...so I suppose you'll have to come with me."

"You want me to do what?"

Ok, he'd chosen a perfect time to be stupid.

"You want me to mingle with ningen fools for days on end?"

Kagome glared at him. _Who said he was stupid? Oh, right, I did._

"They're not really fools," she began, but then pictured some of the airheads from school. "Well, some of them are, but they're exceptions." She considered that. "Most of them are fools."

"So now the majority is the exception?"

"Eh?" She blinked at him. "Er...what?"

The taiyoukai shook his head wearily. "Let's compromise," he muttered. "Your friends will NOT come anywhere near here. In return, I will accompany you to this 'home' of yours once a millennium."

"You are the epitome of justice," Kagome muttered.

Unfortunately for her, youkai generally had exceptional hearing, and he snapped a cold glare down at her. "I was being quite charitable."

"Oh, well, thank you so much. But there's another thing...I still have to collect Shikon shards..."

There was only silence from beside her. He seemed to be taking the news better than she thought. Glancing over, she frowned as she saw that he was in deep meditation, apparently to prevent himself from destroying the room.

"Ok." Sesshoumaru's eyes opened, their depths once again completely unflappable and serene. "Let us discuss this calmly and rationally."

That sounded like a good idea.

"And I'll begin by calmly explaining the rules of my household. You are, obviously, a bit higher placed than the servants –" he ignored the irritated squawk that accompanied these words – "so you should, at all accounts, be free to travel wherever you wish."

Seeing that Kagome was beaming, however, he quickly continued. "Except that we are connected, and I do not cherish the idea of being dragged around my resort all day, or of traveling with the hanyou bastard, etc. Therefore, you will simply have to do what I tell you to."

"And that places me above the servants HOW?"

"Good point. It doesn't, really."

She jumped to her feet – or tried to, anyways – and glared at him. "I'm not some fucking slave without a life like...like Jaken or something!"

He stood up too, and she suddenly realized how tall he was. "I'm not going to bow to your demands because of this rosary."

His calmness irritated her. "So...so try changing into your big, fuzzy doggy form! Maybe it'll snap!"

Maybe it would.

And yet, he didn't change.

_Why didn't he change?_

_Did he...not want to change?_

"Kuso!" Pushing away his subconscious feelings, he concentrated on turning into his normal youkai form. The thick fur began slowly spreading over his arms, and he dropped to all fours. Suddenly, he let out a short cry of pain and quickly resumed his humanoid form. At the same time, Kagome gasped and tugged at the rosary string, which, instead of snapping, had stayed at exactly the same size and thus began to cut into their arms.

"So much for that idea." Glaring malevolently at the beads, Kagome groaned. "Well, I don't care. I'm not going to be some servant of yours. You can try to do what you like, but I can make your life a living hell, and I will, too! You're going to have to listen to me half the time anyways. And after I complete the Shikon jewel, maybe I can get rid of this thing." She motioned to the rosary. "And then...mmmph!"

The last part of the rant was due to the fact that Sesshoumaru had turned and pressed his lips very firmly against hers.

Shocked silence ensued.

"You talk too much," the taiyoukai murmured. "Besides, the rosary's effects seem to be wearing off anyhow."

"E...excuse me?" Kagome was now being half-dragged across the corridor. "Just because you're slightly stronger – ok, a lot stronger – than I am, you think you have the right to take advantage of me? You egotist! Hypocritical ignoramuses like you shouldn't be allowed to live! You're such a narcissistic, imbecilic, effeminate, conceited, arrogant, cold-blooded, abnormal, deranged, mentally unstable, idiotic, vain, self-absorbed, haughty, supercilious, overconfident JERK!"

She had a certain way with words.

It was mildly amusing to hear all the insults she could come up with. Sesshoumaru made a mental note to use them on Inuyasha the next time they met.

Which, he noted as he yanked Kagome out onto a balcony and stared at the neko youkai approaching from the sky, would be about...now.

Joy.

* * *

_Ok, this chapter accomplished absolutely nothing, other than showing that Kagome seems to have lost some of the initial feelings bestowed by the rosary. Otherwise, this is a completely pointless chapter._

_One of my friends read this and asked, 'Yay, Sesshoumaru kissed her! Are they in love?'_

_To that, my only response is: DID YOU READ THE PREVIOUS TWO CHAPTERS? YES, THEY ARE IN LOVE! (A forced love, true, but still...)_

_I think sooner or later I'll stick Naraku and Kouga into this. I don't particularly like either character. Not that they're horrible, but still..._

_And yes, this is indeed a Sess/Kag fic, despite the fact that Inuyasha plays a prominent role. Why do I like Sess/Kag fics? Because I am a sadist who enjoys torturing the emotions of poor little hanyous._

_But don't worry. The rosary breaks at one point or another. (Probably.)_

_And now, just for giggles (and because I want to increase the word count of this chapter), here's a riddle!_

_There are eight wells, numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Well #0 is perfectly normal, non-poisonous, and non-lethal. All the other wells are poisonous._

_If someone decides to drink from a poisoned well, drinking from a well of a higher number will cure them. (Ex: Someone drinks from well #1; they can drink from wells numbered 2-7 and they will be healed.) Therefore, there is no cure for well #7._

_A dragon is guarding well #7. **The dragon is not stupid or suicidal.** (I will stress this point.)_

_A traveler comes across the dragon and the wells. For some reason, they decide to play a game of sorts. Each takes water from ONE well and pours it in a cup. They then exchange cups and drink. After drinking, they have enough time to drink from any other well of their choice before discovering whether they live or die. (Remember: the dragon is guarding well 7, so the traveler couldn't possibly have drawn water from that well.)_

_At the end of this game, the dragon is dead and the traveler is alive._

_Assuming that the traveler didn't kill the dragon with some weapon, how is this outcome possible?_

_Send me your answers, please! It took me half an hour to solve this riddle...I must be really stupid or something. -FlamingDrake_


	4. Betrayed Again

_Hikaru no Go rules. Why am I writing that before the next chapter of an Inuyasha fanfic? Don't ask me..._

_Touya Akira looks like Haku from Spirited Away and acts like Sesshoumaru. I really hope you all know where Sesshoumaru is from._

_It's just somewhat of a pity that Kobayashi Sanae is somewhat of a pathetic singer...but I'm digressing from the topic here. Anyways..._

_The answer to the riddle is this:_

_The traveler drew water from well #0 and handed it to the dragon, who drank it, then, assuming it had been poisoned, drank from well #7 and thus poisoned itself._

_As for the dragon, it drew water from well #7 and handed it to the traveler; before drinking the water given to him from the dragon, however, the traveler drank from well #1, thus ensuring that the water from well #7 worked as an antidote instead of a poison._

_Still with me? Good._

_By the way...you might want to skip down to the actual chapter, unless you're the person who oh-so-intelligently posted a review under the name of 'THISISMEAN'._

_To 'THISISMEAN'...firstly, couldn't you have chosen a better name? Anything else would suffice. But that's not the point. The points is: I am not going to tell you to stop reading my fic, because you have every right to read and to flame, if you want. However, if you want longer chapters, complaining and whining isn't going to get you anywhere in life. Just a piece of advice. So stop bitching and fix your fucking attitude. Thanks!_

_Well, here's the next chapter. –FlamingDrake_

Involuntary Connections

**It was mildly amusing to hear all the insults she could come up with. Sesshoumaru made a mental note to use them on Inuyasha the next time they met.**

**Which, he noted as he yanked Kagome out onto a balcony and stared at the neko youkai approaching from the sky, would be about...now.**

**Joy.**

Chapter Four – Betrayed Again

Kirara's paws landed lightly on the balcony. Inuyasha leapt off immediately, one hand already on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

"Did I give you permission to land, dear younger brother?" Sesshoumaru inquired coolly, using the term of endearment as a curse.

"Shut the fuck up. I'm just here for Kagome."

"How sweet." The taiyoukai calmly watched as the poison from his claws sizzled into the alabaster stone at their feet. "However, I don't appreciate you staining the floors of my home. In other words, I will give you until the sun sets before I kill you."

Inuyasha snorted. "Are you blind? The sun's setting right now, bastard."

"Firstly, you're the bastard. Secondly, I acknowledge that what you say is true...so why are you still here?" For the first time since the conversation began, Sesshoumaru lifted his head, his eyes gleaming with barely suppressed rage.

The hanyou pulled Tetsusaiga out, the fang glowing in the fading light. "Try to kill me then."

"Gladly." He leapt, cursing as he felt his arm impended by the miko. Sighing, he reconciled himself to fighting with only one arm. The poison sizzled into whatever it made contact with; drops of the liquid seared through the railing of the balcony, dripping onto the gardens below.

"Wait! Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru!" Kaede's voice cut through the clash of the battle; the brothers were fighting tooth and claw (literally). "There's one more thing!"

Inuyasha was the one who backed away, a pair of perpendicular lines marking a red x on his arm. Sesshoumaru had a thin cut marring his forehead – a result of only being able to use one arm.

"If either Sesshoumaru or Kagome dies, the other will, too." Kaede sighed, gazing at the connected pair.

However, that was probably not the best time to say that.

Because, suddenly, Sesshoumaru was smirking, advancing, and all Inuyasha could do was defend. For if he struck too hard...

Kagome would be dead as well...

* * *

Kanna's mirror swirled, focusing particularly on the rosary connecting Sesshoumaru and Kagome. Lounging back, Naraku watched patiently.

"Interesting..."

"What is?" Kikyou entered the room, her long silky tresses pulled back and secured with the habitual white ribbon. Her soulless eyes scanned the room absently, a soul-stealer winding around her arm.

In response, Naraku motioned absently to Kanna. The childlike youkai drifted over to the undead priestess and inclined her mirror so that the other could see the scene unfolding inside.

Kikyou bent and peered closer. "Is that a rosary?"

"I believe so."

She extended a hand so that it almost touched the surface of the picture. "Ah...Inuyasha..." It seemed like he was fighting once more with his elder brother. And yet...it also seemed like he wasn't actually trying. "Inuyasha..."

Naraku's heavy-lidded eyes darted towards her. "He's there, as well?"

"Yes..." Kikyou stood fully, gazing out the window at the dark clouds. "I hope...he remembers that I am the only one allowed to kill him..."

A small breeze drifted through the open doors, teasing her hair. The thin, sweet trill of a nightingale broke the silence. One hand closed into a tight fist as the ethereal girl stared unblinking towards the darkened horizon. Her memories replayed in her mind, the dreams they'd shared, the hopes...the love...

Their future, which had been ruined in a single moment.

"I...hate this existence..." A slight sob caught in her voice, and she swept towards the door, trying to find solace in being alone.

Behind her, Naraku studied the silent profile indifferently before turning away. "I wonder what the command word is..."

* * *

The new information wasn't helping Sesshoumaru at all. Now that Kagome was aware that she would be protected by both sides, she was continually straying into the middle of the battle, forcing a final truce.

"Stop, both of you! We are going to have a talk like civilized adults!"

Both of the adversaries gazed at the teenage girl incredulously.

"Now, sit down...oops!" Inuyasha crashed through the floor, which had already been weakened by Sesshoumaru's acid attacks, and fell into a rosebush, where he promptly made friends with quite a few thorns.

If, of course, swallowing something can also be called making friends with the aforementioned object.

After the hanyou had been relocated into a more comfortable place, Kagome glared at both the brothers. Before she could say anything, however, Inuyasha interrupted. "We found out how to remove the rosary."

"Really?" Her face lit up, and Sesshoumaru felt an odd tugging at his heart. Probably heartburn. Did youkai get heartburn?

"Yeah. All you have to do is prove that your love for m-" Inuyasha winced. "For _someone_ is stronger than your love for Sesshoumaru."

Kagome sighed. "Oh. So I just say it?"

"I assume so."

"Fine." She closed her eyes. "I...love Inuyasha...more than Sesshoumaru..."

The rosary trembled, the rope fraying slightly. It shivered again, then stopped, almost fully intact.

Kagome's eyes flew open and focused on Inuyasha's. "I..."

Inuyasha's gaze was focused on the rosary.

"Don't say anything." The hanyou turned away from her. "Just don't say anything!" He leapt to the ground, stumbling as he began to run away. Turning, his golden eyes filled with pain and rage, he yelled, "I should have known you didn't care! After all, you're nothing but Kikyou's reincarnation!"

And then he was gone, racing towards the sanctuary of the darkness.

_'You're nothing but Kikyou's reincarnation...'_

The words repeated themselves over and over, a sutra in Kagome's mind. Those words...

And then she found that she was screaming at him. "I hate you, Inuyasha! I hate you!"

Her tears fell unheeded to the ground, even as she yelled what she knew wasn't true.

He was not there to hear.

* * *

_Ahhh...poor Inuyasha and Kagome. Unfortunately, I have decreed that this will be a Sess/Kag fic, and it will stay that way._

_Should I put Inuyasha with Kikyou? I actually think Kikyou's a pretty good character, despite violent protests from quite a few other people._

_Anyways...here's another riddle. This one is really hard. (Well...pretty hard, anyways.) I never managed to figure this one out. I do have the answer, though. Catharine gave me this one..._

_A warden meets with 23 new prisoners when they arrive. He tells them, "You may meet today and plan a strategy. But after today, you will be in isolated cells and will have no communication with one another.  
"In the prison is a switch room, which contains two light switches labeled A and B, each of which can be in either the 'On' or the 'Off' position. I am not telling you their present positions. The switches are not connected to anything.  
"After today, from time to time whenever I feel so inclined, I will select one prisoner at random and escort him to the switch room. This prisoner will select one of the two switches and reverse its position. He must move one, but only one of the switches. He can't move both but he can't move none, either. Then he'll be led back to his cell.  
  
"No one else will enter the switch room until I lead the next prisoner there, and he'll be instructed to do the same thing. I'm going to choose prisoners at random. I may choose the same guy three times in a row, or I may jump around and come back.  
"But, given enough time, everyone will eventually visit the switch room as many times as everyone else. At any time anyone of you may declare to me, 'We have all visited the switch room.'  
"If it is true, then you will all be set free. If it is false, and somebody has not yet visited the switch room, you will be fed to the alligators."  
Here's the question:  
What is the strategy the prisoners devise?_

_This one actually requires math and logic. Horrible, isn't it? Well, send back your replies! And to those people who sent me riddles, I still haven't figured them out...sorry._

_Now it's time to do some more fangirl obsessing over Touya Akira! Sayonara!_


	5. News

Ok. I admit that I am officially an idiot. Firstly, I'm extremely sorry; secondly, I should have listened to Cat.

Basically, this is what happened. My senior homework is completely overwhelming me, due to all the AP's and junk I have to take, and college applications, etc. So, after a long period of uncertainty (that's why the updates stopped), I'm quitting , too.

Wow. I seem to be following the same path as Cat.

Anyways. To any readers of my stories: if you want to continue/use the plot for Cat's stories, write a review or send an email to me stating why you think you're eligible to do a good job on these (i.e. winning writing competitions, having taken AP English, etc.). Or you can send me a piece of writing you've done and I'll read it and decide. For those of you who want to continue these stories, I'll post your username on my bio to explain that I'm handing these stories over.

My email's posted on my bio. Thanks.

FlamingDrake


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